Stage left, stage right, break a leg. Stage actors have their own lexicon, and they’re very good at one thing: being aware of the audience and what the audience can see. This week we’re applying that skill to photography.
Photo prompts based on stage directions for families and couples
This prompt is a fundamental one you can use to set up ground rules when working with any lifestyle photoshoot clients. It’s based around a simple directive: that you need to see their faces.
How to use this photo pose prompt
Prepare the family at the start of the session (and remind as necessary) to keep their positions with relation to your camera in mind. This allows the family to interact naturally and be themselves without you having to “pose” them for every shot.
Tell them to imagine that they are theater actors on a stage, and to treat you like the audience: when theater actors are in a play, they always have their faces visible to the audience. They aren’t always facing the audience, but they have their bodies angled so the audience can see their front and their faces, even when talking to other actors. Stage actors rarely turn their backs on the audience.
For reminders during the session, prime them to listen for you saying: “Play to the audience!” This will mean you can’t see someone’s face, or they’ve turned away from the camera more than you want for the photo.
Use judiciously: don’t interrupt a special moment. Take your lead from the family: some people may benefit more from specific instructions: “Darren, just bring your shoulder slightly towards me…”
Prompt: Play to the Audience
- Prime family to face the camera by telling them: pretend you’re a stage actor, who rarely turns their back on the audience (the camera).
- Have them keep in mind that all actions need to be visible to the “audience” (your camera).
- Remind them: “If you can’t see the lens, I can’t see you.” This is important for unstructured large group photos, e.g. all guests shot at a wedding. Have all guests confirm that they can see the lens from their position.
- Remind during session: “Play to the audience!”
- Use judiciously. Don’t interrupt unnecessarily.
Creative extension
- Take this a step further with a family photoshoot and have the family act out brief scenes together: the more silly, the better. For example: act out Three Little Pigs, Baby Shark, Jack and the Beanstalk. Have a parent act the baddie and chase the kids—then switch it up and have the youngest child take the power and be the baddie chasing everyone else.
- Bring costumes! Fairy wings, tinfoil wands, princess crowns, superhero cape, and treat it like a photo booth session.
Do you apply strategies from something else in your life to your photography? Tag me @promptographerguide and use the hashtag #promptographerguide to share your experience.
Want this prompt in your Field Cards set?
All the info in this prompt post is summarized onto a single card in the Promptographer Guide Field Cards, with the details given in the accompanying Guidebook. All the ideas are given on the one card so you have a rich, comprehensive tool for sparking ideas. I’ve designed it this way so you only need five to ten cards to build a whole photoshoot.
If you want this prompt in your set, make sure you include Set 6: Family Essentials in your Field Cards.
